self-care tips

I don’t know about you, but I am very thankful to see the start of a new month. I feel bogged down by all of that old month’s nonsense somehow. Like “get it out of here already” and let’s begin fresh. Although to be perfectly honest, it could have to do with looking at your bank account at the end of the month and seeing how many “friends” you have in there and wanting them to invite more friends over there so you know, it’s not lonely.

So whee, start of a new month. I feel re-charged with the first day in a new month. Like it has its own energy and I am going to plug into that. So I wanted to share with you my tips on how you can use this in your own life.

For inquiring minds, it doesn’t matter if you are single, have kids, don’t have kids, have pets, have no pets except for dust bunnies, whatever. This really relies on you. I need you to get that concept like you need air to breathe. The start of changing and re-charging is always up to you and it can be done at anytime you choose. So with that in mind…here we go.

5 Things to Start to Re-charge:

Embrace the morning. Look. I get it. I actually do considering I have the Vampire disease and I really am a night person, but I have been setting my alarm clock back 5, 10, then 15 minutes earlier. Why? What does this do for you? First, please use a real alarm clock. Everyone who watches my videos knows I say this. It gives back the power and takes it away from your phone. Any number of things can and do go wrong with technology anyway, but the worst is checking out what everyone else is doing before you check in with yourself. << Busted. Seriously. The urge to check-in on social media is an addiction that only you can start to change when you get fully centered in your own routines that don’t involve the phone being the first thing you check.

Start with gratitude. So this morning, as the sleepiness was wearing off, and I stretched in bed, I was thankful for my favorite flannel sheets that I use no matter what the temperature is outside. I embraced my eyes opening, and said thank you for today. I did a body scan quickly, and told my body how I wanted it to act today. << This is something I teach in my club about the power of positive thinking and using it to manifest the desires we wish to see come true in our lives. It’s kind of a long story about how I used to feel when I woke up, but for those of you who are new here, feel free to read this later >> About me <<. I continued to say thank you for the blessings in my life as I got out of bed.

Have a plan for your meals. I start this off when school starts again in the fall because in the summer, its fresh veggies and fend for yourself. However, there’s strength in planning as you don’t see the worst foods in your fridge and grab those…well if you do, it’s at least because you wanted it instead of there was nothing to eat. I am certified in sports nutrition, but even I struggle with staying on track. Because I am gluten intolerant and do still have autoimmune disease, I get that life isn’t always fair. So in order to go around that thinking, I have everything that supports me fully in front of me. Like5 foods to boost my mood <<< Read later:) A new month means a new plan for my fridge, which oddly enough, makes me feel so good!

Move your body! People who are not used to exercise are often drawn to my style of group coaching. Why? Because I get that you don’t want to move when you are in pain, but the benefits outweigh the negatives. So this summer, I started a new program for myself and I was in some pain of my own making. And you know what? That actually feels freaking amazing compared to the pain of dis-ease. My youngest daughter started to run cross-country as well and her results have been amazing. Her entire energy changed. She came home full of those great “runner’s high” endorphins and her entire mood was different. She was doing things she didn’t think she could do so naturally this boosted her head, heart and health. Get your friends, fam and anyone else out there walking with you. No one said you have to start big, and if you need help, check out my baby steps program >>> 4 Weeks to Wellness <<< for a great start to your month.

End your day with journaling. The research on this alone is astounding as some of you know that I am a former teacher who loves brain based research. Since starting my own personal journal practice in 2015, my life has changed for the better. when thoughts struggle to overtake me, I do my yoga breathing, get centered and journal it all out. I create my world based on how I want it to be and I start to remove my own blocks on paper. The research on this is that we are using language more and thinking about how to remove these blocks thus improving our immune function as well. << Seriously. Writing also has critical connections to speaking, and your communication improves from the “dumbing down” we have seen due to technology and using abbreviations. << Don’t be mad, it’s not my research, but it is true. You can use this technique with your entire family if you want and measure the results in as little as 3 months. Memory starts to improve, comprehension, and more.

If you are interested in learning more about how journaling changed my life and continues to be my constant go to as I obtain clarity, sort through things that come up in a completely different way, capture inspiration and really sort through my emotions to achieve happiness, find out more here.

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First of all, you know you are an Empath because you are here. If you are a bit unsure, read more over here on this article. <<<

As a highly sensitive person, it is necessary to continue your self-care routines daily, not just when you remember. So before we even get into that, I want to tell you to write on your calendar “self-care time” and devote at least 15 minutes a day to it.

Iteach intuitive peoplehow to best care for their emotions and improve their relationship with their thoughts. When we get into overwhelm mode as an Empath, lots of things start to happen to us. We feel physically sick, suffer from headaches, begin to feel drained, and literally have no energy for our own lives. I know we want to look around at the world and shut down at this point, but this is the time we have to get serious about our own needs. Do not feel guilty here. We must put on our own oxygen masks first by practicing self-care.

What happens when we don’t take of ourselves?

I want you to think back to the last few weeks. Look over your calendar as you do so and put a “heart” on any activity where you took care of yourself. Put a “minus” next to anything you were doing where you felt drained, depleted and possibly had to rest the next day. Only you know the answer to this and only you can be honest with yourself and your schedule. Are you showing up in your own life as the director or perhaps the side kick? How many hearts are in your calendar? How many activities do you plan just for you? Do you make note of that? Try to keep a record for a week of anything you have done after reading this article and see what happens. Begin with these 5 self-care tips for the Empath and keep adding to them.

5 Self-care Tips for the Empath:

Cut off all electronics at least 30 minutes prior to going to bed. There are lots of reasons for this including various studies on brain waves, the light, and more, but for us, it’s also about what we are feeling through the social media feed. The routine that will nurture your soul is not found online right before bed unless you are searching for a journal prompt. <<

Cultivate an attitude of gratitude to elevate your energy daily. Because we feel so much and we see way more than we let on, we start to feel very alone and perhaps a wee bit mistrustful of others. This lack of trust leads us into isolation and hermit mode as we know that at least alone in our thoughts, we can’t let ourselves down. While we feel this is true, we actually do need a support system and ways to feel grateful again about the world around us. I have created a support system in my closed group, but it is also important to note what we are grateful for each day that might seem to be a coincidence, but truly, is not.

Learn to distance yourself from the drama and anyone you truly know is lying to you. As you begin to create better boundaries for your Empath world, things start to feel lighter and more free. A lack of good and decent boundaries means that you will continue to suffer. Why? Energy vampires will continue ti drain you because of your good nature. Gently start to notice where you need to shore up the low places in your defenses and don’t feel guilty about saying “no” to things that zap your energy. The person who asks you for help 24/7 and never once has taken your advice. The angry person who doesn’t lift a finger to change themselves, but vents to you. The “time warper” who messages you and hours later you are like “Where has my night gone?” and you feel a headache coming on. <<< Sign of a person leeching your energy away.

Meditate, or learn yoga poses to cope with getting centered and grounded. I started recording a few yoga poses monthly for my club because I don’t want people to think they have to do an hour-long flow. No. You can do one pose a day, and I even break it down to chair yoga for those who want that, but it can be really simple. I am convinced that those who want to change, will. Those who want to feel better, quite simply will. If you are reading this, you are probably pretty sick of feeling sick in this world. I teach a 4 week course that is yours to keep for life on Journaling for the Empathwhich includes a break down of steps to take to clear your energy and start realizing what is yours and what might be taken on from others. <<< It can be repeated as often as needed to clear your thoughts and align with your own energy.

Do a check on what you have done for yourself weekly. Not sure how to do that? Here is my free Empath self-care checklist. Make time to get outside, read, journal, meditate, do yoga, get grounded and many more self-care routines that are truly available to us each and everyday. Learn to see your gift as a gift and not a burden. Life truly is what you make my soul friend, and I hope this inspired you to make it a great one!

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I bet that you didn’t want to start your week off the way it happened. But there it is. Nothing you can do about it. You forgot a major timeline…or you got sick and missed an important meeting. Whatever it is, it has you feeling stressed and it’s only the start of your work week. Because you are stressed out, you start to feel anxious as well. Which then leads into all sorts of scenarios in your head. You know your boss is looking at you funny. What? Why is everyone in the workroom laughing except they got quiet when you walked in? Ack. Your boss thinks you are an idiot. Chances are, none of these things are true. But what if they are? Really?

7 Brilliant Ways to Get Rid of Stress

Stop taking things so personally. Maybe, just maybe, the people in the workroom were laughing at the fact that they were about to surprise you with a party. Okay, it could happen. But even if they were laughing at you, who cares? Yes, you do. I know that. Now think about this, this is not a reflection of your actions. It is a reflection of theirs. Be polite. Be professional. Move on.

Stay in the present moment. Don’t create a story or a situation that was never there to begin with because that’s how you become your biggest enemy. I know that you might feel stress creeping up so what if you shifted your attention out of worst case scenario mode and went back to the task at hand? Always allow your thoughts to pass by, inspect them, and carry on with the present moment. Here is my friend’s article on releasing anger with her affirmations.

Work out and move your body! I was doing research for the new yoga flow that I am creating for a workshop, and it said that one of the top ways to remove and release stress was through yoga. Of course that doesn’t surprise me, so see my previous articles on 3 simple exercises to keep you fit or 10 yoga tips for beginners.

Spend time with your loved ones. Sometimes, when it’s quitting time, it’s best to quit and go on home. Your work will be there. You only have one life and this isn’t a test. Play some loud music on the way home that you love, unwind, and by the time you get home, try very hard to stay in the present moment there too.

Unplug and unwind. This one is really hard. I know it. it has proven to be difficult for me as well. I am very thankful for our family vacations away from people…and things…in the mountains. With literally no service. No tech. No T.V. I know right? Sounds amazing.

Find your quiet place. Which brings me to this one, and I know you are thinking you can’t find time to do this, but find time to meditate, journal, take a bath, or do something that you can really focus on in peace and quiet. Yes, even you new moms can do this! You really need to make this part of your routine.

Prepare for your next day. We always all get ready by picking out our clothes, and not having to rush. Take a minute to do a list of things before you leave the office, home office, school, etc, and when you get in, it will be there to focus you. That way, you leave it there where it belongs. Don’t take it home with you. You can find balance in your work and life. This leads you on a better path to wellness!

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5 Self-care Tips to Lighten Your Load.

self-care n. The care of oneself without medical, professional, or other assistance or oversight.

Let’s pretend you have lots of time on your hands for a self-care regimen. What would it look like? Maybe you are not sure where to start.

Let’s take a look at your mind first.

Have the right attitude. Did you know that looking at things from different points of view can actually lower your stress level? That’s right. Instead of automatically jumping to the wrong conclusion, you can think about something in a positive light or try to see it from a different perspective. This can actually bring you more success in life instead of constantly feeling like you have to be on the defense. Sure, there are moments when you want to fall back into your old negative thought patterns, but if they haven’t brought you anything but pain, try a few positive affirmations and move forward.

Meditation is a powerful brain booster. Try some 5 minute “mind-training” to make it still or even some guided meditations to clear the mind. Be patient with yourself as this takes time to practice, but you will start to feel better once you master your mind.

Now let’s take inventory of your body.

Get enough sleep. 8 hours a night of sound sleep is essential for stimulating new connections and brain growth. What are your obstacles to a good night’s sleep? Do you have an over-active mind, physical tension, undiagnosed sleep apnea or pain? Try a bedtime routine of a lavender bath, hot tea, and a simple meditation to clear the mind. Unplug from technology an hour before bed.

Do you love to exercise? I already hear your “no” getting ready to form…but wait. What if it was walking with an old friend or adding the stairs to your day? Meeting a friend at yoga? Take my advice…add some movement to your day no matter what. Don’t wait for that friend though…because it may never happen and this is your self-care routine (not theirs). Make habits that you know you will stick to even if someone else can’t help you be accountable.

Lastly, let’s look at your spirit.

Inform others about what you are doing and find like minds. This is the part that might be hard because you need human contact to nourish your spirit, but not everyone is in the same place as you are right this moment. In fact, some might never be ready to move forward. And that’s okay. This is your self-care routine. Hopefully others will be supportive of what you need to do to take care of you. As a for example…maybe your goal is to unplug more from messages and talk to people in real life. Encourage your friends to make that shift and see what happens. Who knows, maybe you will inspire others around you to move forward and take a look at what their spirit needs. I know that as someone working from home, I need to get out of the house and make contact with others at least once a week. That’s where my yoga practice comes in. It is soothing to feel the energy of others around me who are working towards the same goals. If you need more support, click the linked words.

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